Electric cars and hybrid cars will have to make additional sounds: why is it necessary?
In the European Union adopted a law in accordance with which cars with electric motors will equip with sound warning systems for pedestrians. The speakers will automatically turn on at a low speed of the car to warn others about its approach. We tell you what other countries have introduced such laws and why this is important.
Photo by Bernard Spragg. NZ / PD
Electric vehicles move in space almost silently: these machines are powered by batteries, there are fewer moving parts in their power plants, and there is no exhaust gas distribution mechanism.
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When an electric car rushes at high speed, its approach can be heard because of the noise of the wind and the rustling of tires. But if it moves slowly, for example during parking, not even everyone ten meters away from it will hear it.
These calculations are confirmed by the experiment at the University of California at Riverside. Scientists found that at a vehicle speed of 8 km / h, the distance between the pedestrian and the “hybrid”, from which the first could correctly determine where the car was moving from, was 74% shorter than in the case of a car equipped with an engine. Simply put, in order to react, a person has more time left when a regular car takes part in a traffic situation.
The European Commission adopted a law that requires manufacturers of electric vehicles and "hybrids" to raise the level of noise emanating from these cars at low speeds.
The law will come into force on July 1, 2019. By that time, all new car models will have to provide warning systems. The rest of the fleet is being upgraded gradually: the document does not indicate the dates for updating “old” electric vehicles, but it is planned .
Similar rules for car manufacturers have developed in the United States. The act was considered in Congress from 2010, but was signed only at the beginning of 2018.
Additional sounds of electric vehicles in the United States will emit at a speed of less than 30 km / h. According to the law, by September 2019, automakers must install warning systems on half of their new cars with electric engines. It is expected that all electric vehicles in the country will deliver the system by 2020.
By that time, according to the US Department of Transportation, the new requirements for electric cars will prevent about 2,400 accidents per year. It is also assumed that these measures will save $ 250–320 million due to the reduction of aggregate damage from road accidents.
In Japan, the law prescribing the installation of pedestrian acoustic warning devices in electric vehicles and hybrid cars has been in effect since 2010. Devices emit a sound similar to the noise of an internal combustion engine - they turn on automatically when the speed is below 20 km / h .
In the US and Europe, the aforementioned bills were not supported by activists who oppose noise pollution. According to Les Blomberg, founder of the non-profit organization Noise Pollution Clearinghouse (Les Blomberg), the problem of the "invisibility" of electric vehicles is not that electric motors are too quiet, but rather an increased level of street noise.
Blomberg believes that the volume of the noisiest vehicles should be limited by law: motorcycles, buses and trucks. It is worth noting that the European Union has already adopted a similar directive. The plan to reduce the volume of the engines is designed for 2016–2024, and the result of its implementation should be a decrease in the noise level from transport by approximately 25%.
Other activists doubt that the laws regulating the minimum level of noise from cars without internal combustion engines are taken quite carefully, because they replace concepts and lead to the transfer of responsibility.
Photo by Yasunobu HIRAOKA / CC BY-ND
The company strives to outdo each other in an attempt to make the sound of their cars unique. For example, Nissan presented its own version of “audio support” for an electric vehicle, which is more like the sound of a computer boot, than the engine's roar. The “ hum ” of the Toyota Prius and the “ mystical music ” of the Chevrolet Volt are significantly different from the “melody” of Nissan, which is compared to the sounds of video games.
In European countries, politicians are working on a single standard for the sound of cars without internal combustion engines. For example, in the UK, electric cars will sound like something between white noise and tonal noise (with a certain frequency prevailing). But the US Department of Transportation plans to allow the use in electric vehicles of different sound alert options, from which drivers will be able to choose the signal to their liking.
However, according to Futurism, the differences in the "sound" of cars from different manufacturers and different models threaten to confuse pedestrians who are accustomed to the noise of an internal combustion engine. It will be especially difficult for blind people: in the absence of uniform standards, they will need to memorize a large number of electric vehicle sounds. So, perhaps, the new norms in their current form could rather harm people who should be helped.
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Sound Spectrum Audiomania
From November 22 to November 25, Black Friday is held in “Audiomania”.
The action involves several hundred items with discounts up to 70%. At the sale presents a variety of audio equipment: from headphones and portable gadgets to Hi-Fi-audio systems. This is a great opportunity to buy a gift for loved ones for the New Year holidays or to take with a good discount what you have been looking for for a long time.
Photo by Bernard Spragg. NZ / PD
Why did you need a law
Electric vehicles move in space almost silently: these machines are powered by batteries, there are fewer moving parts in their power plants, and there is no exhaust gas distribution mechanism.
')
When an electric car rushes at high speed, its approach can be heard because of the noise of the wind and the rustling of tires. But if it moves slowly, for example during parking, not even everyone ten meters away from it will hear it.
According to a study by a charity association for helping blind Guide Dogs, for a pedestrian the risk of being hit by an electric car or a hybrid car is 40% higher than the probability of being hit by a car with an internal combustion engine.
These calculations are confirmed by the experiment at the University of California at Riverside. Scientists found that at a vehicle speed of 8 km / h, the distance between the pedestrian and the “hybrid”, from which the first could correctly determine where the car was moving from, was 74% shorter than in the case of a car equipped with an engine. Simply put, in order to react, a person has more time left when a regular car takes part in a traffic situation.
What did the European Union accept?
The European Commission adopted a law that requires manufacturers of electric vehicles and "hybrids" to raise the level of noise emanating from these cars at low speeds.
According to the new regulations, when driving more slowly than 20 km / h, the car should automatically turn on the pedestrian audible warning system. It will be required for all cars with an electric motor, and drivers will not be able to turn it off.
The law will come into force on July 1, 2019. By that time, all new car models will have to provide warning systems. The rest of the fleet is being upgraded gradually: the document does not indicate the dates for updating “old” electric vehicles, but it is planned .
Where else did they adopt such laws?
Similar rules for car manufacturers have developed in the United States. The act was considered in Congress from 2010, but was signed only at the beginning of 2018.
Additional sounds of electric vehicles in the United States will emit at a speed of less than 30 km / h. According to the law, by September 2019, automakers must install warning systems on half of their new cars with electric engines. It is expected that all electric vehicles in the country will deliver the system by 2020.
By that time, according to the US Department of Transportation, the new requirements for electric cars will prevent about 2,400 accidents per year. It is also assumed that these measures will save $ 250–320 million due to the reduction of aggregate damage from road accidents.
In Japan, the law prescribing the installation of pedestrian acoustic warning devices in electric vehicles and hybrid cars has been in effect since 2010. Devices emit a sound similar to the noise of an internal combustion engine - they turn on automatically when the speed is below 20 km / h .
What will happen next
In the US and Europe, the aforementioned bills were not supported by activists who oppose noise pollution. According to Les Blomberg, founder of the non-profit organization Noise Pollution Clearinghouse (Les Blomberg), the problem of the "invisibility" of electric vehicles is not that electric motors are too quiet, but rather an increased level of street noise.
Blomberg believes that the volume of the noisiest vehicles should be limited by law: motorcycles, buses and trucks. It is worth noting that the European Union has already adopted a similar directive. The plan to reduce the volume of the engines is designed for 2016–2024, and the result of its implementation should be a decrease in the noise level from transport by approximately 25%.
Other activists doubt that the laws regulating the minimum level of noise from cars without internal combustion engines are taken quite carefully, because they replace concepts and lead to the transfer of responsibility.
It’s not the driver’s duty to prevent accidents, but the necessity for a pedestrian to ensure that he is not crushed.However, associations of blind people did not make such claims to the described laws. From the point of view of their representatives, it is often difficult for a visually impaired person to understand where the electric vehicle is coming from, and the audio notification system will help him orient himself when crossing the road. Before the entry into force of the requirements, automakers have to solve an important task - to determine what kind of sound the device used to warn pedestrians will produce.
Photo by Yasunobu HIRAOKA / CC BY-ND
The company strives to outdo each other in an attempt to make the sound of their cars unique. For example, Nissan presented its own version of “audio support” for an electric vehicle, which is more like the sound of a computer boot, than the engine's roar. The “ hum ” of the Toyota Prius and the “ mystical music ” of the Chevrolet Volt are significantly different from the “melody” of Nissan, which is compared to the sounds of video games.
In European countries, politicians are working on a single standard for the sound of cars without internal combustion engines. For example, in the UK, electric cars will sound like something between white noise and tonal noise (with a certain frequency prevailing). But the US Department of Transportation plans to allow the use in electric vehicles of different sound alert options, from which drivers will be able to choose the signal to their liking.
However, according to Futurism, the differences in the "sound" of cars from different manufacturers and different models threaten to confuse pedestrians who are accustomed to the noise of an internal combustion engine. It will be especially difficult for blind people: in the absence of uniform standards, they will need to memorize a large number of electric vehicle sounds. So, perhaps, the new norms in their current form could rather harm people who should be helped.
More about sound and audio in our Telegram channel:
How graphs and diagrams “sound” Music for productive work How do you use old audio equipment? Sound Spectrum AudiomaniaFrom November 22 to November 25, Black Friday is held in “Audiomania”.
The action involves several hundred items with discounts up to 70%. At the sale presents a variety of audio equipment: from headphones and portable gadgets to Hi-Fi-audio systems. This is a great opportunity to buy a gift for loved ones for the New Year holidays or to take with a good discount what you have been looking for for a long time.
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/430952/
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